The curtain opens to find a young girl meeting her parrain on the bayou. The parrain tells her an enchanting story about a magical nutcracker. The young girl falls asleep and dreams “The Nutcracker” as only a Louisiana Clara could imagine it. Next, the audience is transported inside Clara’s plantation home, where her family is hosting a lavish Christmas Eve party. Clara’s mysterious Uncle Drosselmeyer arrives to delight the children with magic tricks, dancing dolls and a very special gift for Clara. Clara’s family plantation, which is modeled after the interior of the Nottoway Plantation, is only the beginning of a wondrous journey. When Clara travels to the “Land of Snow,” the setting becomes much like the majestic entranceway to Louisiana’s Oak Alley plantation, with its rows of gigantic, hanging oak trees. Then for the second act, the “Kingdom of the Sweets,” dances are set inside the Old State Capitol, with its complex glass stained glass windows and elegant spiral staircase.
If the performance is not sold out, YES. The day of the performance tickets can be purchased one hour before the show at the box office located in the Theatre for the Performing Arts lobby. For best seat selection we recommend purchasing your tickets early.
You have three options:
1) Call BRBT at 225.766.8379 and your tickets will either be mailed to you or held at the Will Call table for you to pickup at the performance. There is a $4 handling fee per order (not per ticket).
2) Go online to www.ticketmaster.com and search for the Baton Rouge River Center Theatre for the Performing Arts and then for The Nutcracker, A Tale from the Bayou. Please note that Ticketmaster charges a handling fee per ticket.
3) Visit the River Center Box Office between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. The Box Office is located in the arena building, on River Road, next to the fountain. The River Center Box Office does not take orders over the phone.
Most patrons will be dressed in “church” attire, some children (or “ballerinas in training”) wear their favorite tutus.
Performances are held in downtown Baton Rouge in the River Center Theatre for the Performing Arts at 220 St. Louis Street. (Across from City Hall)
The River Center provides parking for a small fee in two parking garages located on St. Louis Street. Limited street parking is also available in the area. For more information on the River Center visit their website at www.brrivercenter.com.
Approximately two hours, with one 15 minute intermission.